Transport of the harmful bloom alga Aureococcus anophagefferens by oceangoing ships and coastal boats

Doblin, MA; Popels, LC; Coyne, KJ; Hutchins, DA; Cary, SC; Dobbs, FC

Transport of the harmful bloom alga Aureococcus anophagefferens by oceangoing ships and coastal boats

Doblin, MA

Popels, LC Coyne, KJ Hutchins, DA Cary, SC Dobbs, FC

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2004, 70 (11), pp. 6495 - 6500
Issue Date:: 2004-11-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Doblin, MA https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8750-3433	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Popels, LC	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Coyne, KJ	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Hutchins, DA	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Cary, SC	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Dobbs, FC	en_US
dc.date.issued	2004-11-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2004, 70 (11), pp. 6495 - 6500	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0099-2240	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/8771
dc.description.abstract	It is well established that cyst-forming phytoplankton species are transported in ships' ballast tanks. However, there is increasing evidence that other phytoplankton species which do not encyst are also capable of surviving ballast transit. These species have alternative modes of nutrition (hetero- or mixotrophy) and/or are able to survive long-term darkness. In our studies of no-ballast-on-board vessels arriving in the Great Lakes, we tested for the presence of the harmful algal bloom species Aureococcus anophagefferens (brown tide) in residual (i.e., unpumpable) ballast water using methods based on the PCR. During 2001, the brown tide organism was detected in 7 of 18 ballast water tanks in commercial ships following transit from foreign ports. Furthermore, it was detected after 10 days of ballast tank confinement during a vessel transit in the Great Lakes, a significant result given the large disparity between the salinity tolerance for active growth of Aureococcus (>22 ppt) and the low salinity of the residual ballast water (∼2 ppt). We also investigated the potential for smaller, recreational vessels to transport and distribute Aureococcus. During the summer of 2002, 11 trailered boats from the inland bays of Delaware and coastal bays of Maryland were sampled. Brown tide was detected in the bilge water in the bottoms of eight boats, as well as in one live-well sample. Commercial ships and small recreational boats are therefore implicated as potential vectors for long-distance transport and local-scale dispersal of Aureococcus.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Applied and Environmental Microbiology	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1128/AEM.70.11.6495-6500.2004	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Microbiology	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	DNA, Ribosomal	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	RNA, Ribosomal, 18S	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Polymerase Chain Reaction	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Seawater	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Waste Disposal, Fluid	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Eutrophication	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Ships	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Phaeophyta	en_US
dc.title	Transport of the harmful bloom alga Aureococcus anophagefferens by oceangoing ships and coastal boats	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	11	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	70	en_US
utslib.for	060205 Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology)	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - C3 - Climate Change Cluster
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	11	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	70	en_US

Abstract:

It is well established that cyst-forming phytoplankton species are transported in ships' ballast tanks. However, there is increasing evidence that other phytoplankton species which do not encyst are also capable of surviving ballast transit. These species have alternative modes of nutrition (hetero- or mixotrophy) and/or are able to survive long-term darkness. In our studies of no-ballast-on-board vessels arriving in the Great Lakes, we tested for the presence of the harmful algal bloom species Aureococcus anophagefferens (brown tide) in residual (i.e., unpumpable) ballast water using methods based on the PCR. During 2001, the brown tide organism was detected in 7 of 18 ballast water tanks in commercial ships following transit from foreign ports. Furthermore, it was detected after 10 days of ballast tank confinement during a vessel transit in the Great Lakes, a significant result given the large disparity between the salinity tolerance for active growth of Aureococcus (>22 ppt) and the low salinity of the residual ballast water (∼2 ppt). We also investigated the potential for smaller, recreational vessels to transport and distribute Aureococcus. During the summer of 2002, 11 trailered boats from the inland bays of Delaware and coastal bays of Maryland were sampled. Brown tide was detected in the bilge water in the bottoms of eight boats, as well as in one live-well sample. Commercial ships and small recreational boats are therefore implicated as potential vectors for long-distance transport and local-scale dispersal of Aureococcus.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/8771